Disclaimer: All characters involved belong to J.K. Rowling!

Authors's Note: Thank you all for the amazing reviews. Yes, I'm still writing and will be posting more often. Thanks to BlueOwl who has kept motivating and encouraging me to continue.

Chapter 16: The Hearing

“Let’s go, Harry,” Severus sighed as he pulled on his nicest, black robes. Albus had told him to have Harry, as well as himself, dressed in their best today. The Malfoys may not have legal ties to the boy but it was still imperative to give a good first impression, which also included being on time.

Harry ignored his guardian as he sat, trying to tie his shoes. Severus mentally groaned. The child had been determined to tie his own shoes lately, which had led to many arguments between the two of them.

“Harry, we need to leave. Let me help you,” Severus said, kneeling down next to the boy, who continued to ignore him.

“NO!” Harry yelled and pulled away as Severus reached out for his foot.

“Harry Potter, you will let me do it,” Severus growled, glancing at the clock. The portkey was set to activate in less then 5 minutes from the Headmaster’s office.

“No, I can do it,” Harry said, a quieter but no less stubborn. Severus, however, was beyond impatient and gave a quick wave of his wand. The shoelaces snapped up and tied themselves in neat bows.

Harry stared down at them in shock before he pouted, staring at Severus’ wand.

“Let’s go, Harry,” Severus said, grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling them through the floo.

They two stepped into Dumbledore’s office just in time, as Dumbledore thrust the portkey into their hands. “Quickly, now,” Albus directed. “Keep a hold to Harry, Severus.”

There was scarcely a moment to spare as the portkey pulled them from the castle and deposited them into the arrivals area of the Ministry of Magic.

Severus barely sighed in relief before Harry started screaming. Severus set the red-faced child down, cringing at all of the attention being drawn to them. The quiet, polite boy that he had taken in had disappeared over the last few days. Albus and Minerva had both assured him that Harry was just testing his boundaries, typical behavior for a 4 year old. Severus felt like pulling his hair out.

“Potter, you will desist this behavior immediately,” Severus snapped, grabbing the boy by this chin and forcing eye contact. Severus could see the defiance flash in those green eyes. Their eyes remained locked until Harry finally gave in, looking away.

“Yes, sir,” Harry murmured and sniffled. 

Albus chuckled lightly, ruffling the child’s hair as they moved into the main atrium. Severus gripped Harry’s hand and pulled the boy along. It astounded Severus how quickly Harry’s mood could change. One minute he was throwing a tantrum and now he was completely captivated with everything around him.

xxxxxxxx

Harry gripped his guardian’s hand as they walked towards a big desk. All around him were people dressed in different colors of robes and funny hats. Harry giggled at one lady who had a stuffed bird perched on her brim. He caught her eye and giggled more as she sniffed and hurried past. Severus had told him they were going to a meeting to talk to some lady about him staying with Papa Albus and his Sev’rus forever. No more Dursleys! It was like living in the best dream ever!

After getting a tag that Papa Albus explained said his name, they entered an elevator where pieces of paper were flying around. Harry jumped up to try and catch one but his guardian glowered down at him.

“Behave, Harry.”

Harry pouted a bit as the lift stopped to let more people in. He felt crammed as he shifted closer to his guardians and gripped onto the larger hand even tighter. He didn’t like cramped spaces and the larger people barely glanced at him as everyone seemed to jostle each other for more space. Just before Harry couldn’t take it anymore, the doors opened and Severus pulled Harry into the open corridor. Several of the paper memos followed them out and zoomed down the hall. Pausing to watch them go, Harry felt another tug on his hand as they continued toward a closed door farther down.

The door they entered led into a woman’s office. Harry stared at the shelves of books and files behind the woman’s desk. The office was small and files flew magically from the shelves and out a slot in the wall. At his questioning gaze, Albus whispered to Harry, “They’re being summoned by other offices.”

Harry gave a small smile at the headmaster and kept quiet as they sat on the chairs. Two of the chairs remained empty, but before Harry could ask about them, the door to the office swung open.

xxxxxx

Severus narrowed his dark eyes at the blonde couple entering into the office. Acting as if they own the entire world. They were dressed in expensive dress robes, obviously trying to use their wealth as a strength in the custody case. Albus, sitting to his right, cleared his throat, effectively jarring Severus from his critical analysis of the Malfoys.

“Hello, Severus. Headmaster,” Lucius Malfoy drawled as they entered. Narcissa remained silent but her eyes were trained on Harry.

Severus ignored the greeting but pulled Harry’s chair in closer between himself and Albus. He didn’t need the boy exposed to any more of the Malfoys' influence or manipulations then were necessary.

The door swung open again and a frazzled woman rushed through the door. Severus’ eyes narrowed at her as she froze, caught by surprise by her waiting guests.

“Oh um… dear me. Terribly sorry for the delay,” she muttered to herself before seating herself behind her desk and rummaging through the piles of folders.

“This would be the…” she muttered to herself.

“The hearing over guardianship of Harry Potter, madam,” Albus answered.

“Oh my, yes,” the woman exclaimed, pulled a large folder from the top of the pile. Severus watched as she settled into the chair and adapted a more professional demeanor. He internally scoffed at this ill excuse for a ministry official.

“Now I do believe the legalities of the joint guardianship of young Mr. Potter have been questioned by the Malfoy family, correct?”

“Harry deserves to be with family,” Lucius said, “We are the closest remaining relatives that the boy has.”

“According to this file, the boy has a muggle aunt.”

“Who has signed over guardianship to myself, which is of course her right to do so,” Albus shared.

“Indeed, Headmaster,” the woman said as she flipped through her file.

“Mrs. Malfoy, you are related to Mr. Potter through an indirect relation?”

“My great aunt was Harry’s grandmother. The woman was very dear to me,” Narcissa crooned, dabbing at fake tears in her eyes.

“However close you remained with your great aunt, Mrs. Potter’s sister had the completely authority to give guardianship to the Headmaster and Professor Snape.”

A voice cleared and Severus watched as Lucius leveled a warning glare at the ministry official. The fact that he had been cleared of his charges as a death eater a few years prior did not negate the man’s influence within the ministry, and it was only growing.

“Yes, well family is indeed important,” the woman choked, adverting his gaze back to her file.

Seveus’ eyes narrowed. This wasn’t going well. As much as he trusted Albus, he could see that the Malfoys were heavily influencing the social worker. A quick glance at the Headmaster showed that the man was trusting in the judicial system of the ministry. Severus, on the other hand, held no respect for the wizarding government. It had failed him too many times.

“Perhaps a compromise,” Severus spoke up.

All eyes turned to him; the headmaster’s showing a bit of surprise. Honestly, Severus was surprised himself. Looking down at Harry, who was sitting quietly, flipping through a book that Albus had thought to bring along, he would have expected to jump at the chance to be rid of this particular responsibility. However, he couldn’t help but look out for the boy with his best intentions.

“The Malfoys have a son about Harry’s age. As distant of cousins as the two boys might be, family is family. Perhaps arranging supervised engagement between the two on a monthly basis. At Hogwarts, of course.”

The headmaster’s eye started twinkling and the woman sat up with a smile on her face.

“A great compromise indeed, Professor! I do believe that that arrangement is just what is best for both parties, and providing young Mr. Potter with a boy his age to grow up with,” the woman gushed and moved to make marks in her file.

“I do believe, however,” Lucius interrupted, “that perhaps a better location would be Malfoy Manor. Cissa would be more adept at watching the two boys, freeing up both of the professors time.”

“A Saturday visit would be of no harm, Lucius,” Albus answered smiling. “We may revisit the idea of Harry visiting your home at a later time. However, I do believe for now it is best that the boys meet at the castle.”

There was a drawn out tension in the silence that filled the room. Finally, Lucius sat back and gave a curt nod of his head.

“Very well then. I do believe that this case is closed for now. Thank you all for coming,” the woman chirped, her relief very apparent at having the meeting closed.

As they all filed out of the room, Harry tugged on Severus’ hand.

“What happened?”

“You’re getting a new friend, Potter,” Severus sighed, wondering just what he had gotten himself into.